Knoxville News Sentinel's Top 20 Scholars 2012

They're bright, they're motivated and they're graduating from a school near you. The News Sentinel has an academic dream team we're announcing today. Student names were submitted by schools around the region, more than 300 in all. Editors narrowed it down to students who have top grades and nationally recognized honors. We were impressed by so many students, it was difficult to choose just 20. But these are our picks, and we congratulate them all. We asked them about their plans for the fall, scholarships, career plans and hobbies. We have no doubt they'll all do great things in the future, and we hope you enjoy meeting them as much as we did.

Demetri Bovopoulos West High School, GPA 4.31, Scored 36 on ACT, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Scholarship of $2,000 College: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, majoring in biomed engineering. Career goals: "(Tissue engineering) is a way to help people, and it's the future, as far as medicine is concerned. And it involves creativity." For fun: "I like do a lot of studying for things that have nothing to do with school, just stuff on the Internet. When I'm not studying, I'm involved in the (West High) climbing team. Most of my climbing has been indoor climbing walls."

Ashley Campbell Bearden High School, GPA 4.38, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, Bearden Swim Team captain and letterman College: University of Tennessee, undecided major. UT awarded her $2,000 for being a National Merit Finalist, the $3,000 Volunteer Scholarship, $1,000 Chancellor's Honors Program Scholarship, plus the $5,000 HOPE with merit scholarship. Career goals: "I'm not entirely sure," she said. "Hopefully I can use my AP credit to take more electives and figure out what direction I want to go." For fun: "I have been in swimming since I was 8 years old. I like photography a lot, mostly shooting landscapes. I like music. I play guitar and piano, I just kind of taught myself. And I love traveling."

Eric Dai Oak Ridge High School, GPA 4.57, Scored 36 on ACT; Senior Class President, Eagle Scout, Member of the Oak Ridge Scholars' Bowl team for three years, which won the PBS championship all three years. College: Washington University in St. Louis, possibly majoring in biology, pre-med Career goals: Probably medicine. "But I haven't really thought about it too much," he said. For fun: He has played violin since fifth grade. "If I'm not doing classical music or volunteer work, I'm usually at home playing video games (League of Legends) or talking with friends," he said. This summer he'll be working at the Oak Ridge National Lab.

Julie Davenport Hardin Valley Academy, GPA 4.43, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Society, All-East Orchestra, 2010-11, Governor's School for the Arts in 2010. College: University of Tennessee with the $3,000 Volunteer Scholarship, $1,000 Chancellor's Honors Program Scholarship, and the $5,000 HOPE with merit scholarship. Majoring in architecture. Career goals: Architect. "I'm almost positive that's what I want to do, but I'm not sure what kind yet." For fun: She plays violin and participates in the track and field events of high jump, long jump and triple jump. "High jump is my favorite," she said. She can jump 5 feet, 2 inches high, but her goal is to jump her height, 5 feet, 6 inches.

Maggie Daves Christian Academy of Knoxville, GPA 4.35, AP Scholar with Distinction, Student Senate President, ACSI Leadership and Academics Award. College: Iowa State University, majoring in animal ecology and pre-veterinary studies, where she was awarded a $7,000 scholarship for her high GPA and the Dean's Leadership Scholarship, which offers additional funds and the opportunity to do research with professors. Career goals: Perhaps a veterinarian at a zoo or national park. For fun: She volunteers with Horse Haven of Tennessee, which rescues abandoned or abused horses. "I've always had a pretty intense passion for animals, especially wildlife," she said. "I also love creative writing. I enjoy ultimate Frisbee and biking is pretty cool, too."

Amelia Dmowska Farragut High School, GPA 4.56, National Merit Scholarship of $2,500, Girl Scout Gold Award, National Council of English Teachers Award, Presidential Scholar, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, third in state. College: University of Chicago, majoring in biology, biochemistry or molecular biology. Career goals: Maybe a doctor or doing scientific research. For fun: "I like to read and write a lot, I like to knit," she said. "I knit baby hats for East Tennessee Children's Hospital, through Club Knit at school. I play violin also, and hang out with friends."

Ramie Fathy Farragut High School, GPA 4.71, National AP Scholar, Class President for three years, National Merit Scholarship, $2,500; U.S. Youth Senate Delegate Scholarship, $5,000, Muslim Interscholastic Tournament. College: Princeton, majoring in molecular biology or neuroscience, with a possible certificate in global health policy. Career goals: Medical school or global health policy, or politics. "I've always been fascinated with the brain. It never becomes boring, we know so little about it, and what we do know about is so intriguing it never gets old," he said. For fun: "I like to hike, I spend a lot of time with my little brother and friends. I don't play video games that much, I got sick of them."

Samantha Friedlander Webb School of Knoxville, National Merit Scholarship of $2,500, AP Scholar with Honor, Cum Laude member, co-editor of the Spartan Spirit school newspaper. College: University of Pennsylvania, with an undecided major. Career goals: "I'm not really sure," she said. "I think something involved with language, or English or linguistics. My parents are both writers and editors, so I've grown up with that. I'd like to be involved in editing and publishing." For fun: Field hockey, traveling. "I volunteered a lot at Pond Gap Elementary as a tutor and mentor to little kids."

Jenni Haydek Webb School of Knoxville, scored 36 on ACT, National Merit Scholarship of $2,500, Cum Laude Member, Bausch and Lomb Science Award College: Harvard University, majoring in molecular and cellular biology. Career goals: "I want to go into either medicine or stem cell or biomedical research. "My family (is full of) scientists," she said. "My dad's a doctor, my mom used to be pharmacist, both my brothers are biochemistry majors." For fun: "Right now I do track and field, but I've played tennis for past 12 years. I'm a big tennis player. I also play piano."

Kevin Hoang Bearden High School, GPA 4.52, scored 36 on ACT, member of Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society President, Key Club Executive Board Member College: Emory University, majoring in either pre-med or materials engineering, to find new energy sources. Awarded the Emory Scholars Program Scholarship for $13,000. Career goals: To be a doctor or find new energy sources. For fun: "I play tennis on a team, and for fun I'm either playing tennis or thinking about tennis. Or eating. I love to cook, especially brownies."

Andrew Lee Morristown Hamblen High School, West, GPA, 4.41, AP Scholar with Distinction, Wendy's High School Heisman State Finalist, All-East Orchestra 2010 & 2011, All-State football, All-Conference basketball, baseball College: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, half-tuition baseball scholarship, $3,000 Volunteer Scholarship, $1,000 Chancellor's Honor Program Scholarship and $5,000 HOPE with merit scholarship. Undecided major, perhaps pre-med, engineering or logistics. Career goals: "I'd like to try and play professional baseball. If that doesn't work out, I'll have an education." For fun: "I just like to spend time with friends, family, I like to fish out on the lake, relax."

Chenran 'Jennifer' Liu Farragut High School, GPA 4.61, Siemen's Award for Advanced Placement, $2,000 scholarship, AP Scholar with Distinction College: Vanderbilt University, Chancellor's Scholarship covering full tuition, $43,500, majoring in chemical engineering Career goals: Medicine or the pharmaceutical industry. For Fun: "I like cooking everything, all kinds of food. I make really good spaghetti and bibimbap, a Korean mixed-rice dish. I'm Chinese, but I like a lot of different cultures." She likes to travel and has lived in China, France and the U.S. In 2011, Liu ran a summer camp for children to promote cultural awareness.

Reagan Long West High School, GPA 4.46, AP Scholar with Distinction, Captain of WHS soccer team, voted West High School's "Most Talented" College: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in biochemistry with a double major, or minor, in art. Awarded the $1,000 UT freshman art scholarship, $3,000 Volunteer Scholarship, $5,000 HOPE with merit scholarship. Career goals: "I want to go into the medical field. Right now I'm interested in pediatric cardiology. I like science and math, and I'm not squeamish." For fun: Art, hanging out with her sister. I like the mountains.

Martin Lu Bearden High School, GPA 4.38, National Merit Finalist, Eagle Scout, ETSOA All-State trumpet player. College: Vanderbilt University, biochemistry or biomedical engineering. Awarded $2,000 from Vanderbilt for being a National Merit Scholar, $5,000 HOPE with merit scholarship and several other smaller awards. Career goals: Possibly medicine. His grandfather, uncle, and great-grandfather are all doctors. "My mom says it kind of runs in the family, but no pressure. I may or may not, I'm taking it a day at a time." For fun: Ultimate Frisbee. "I am captain of my school's team. Most people don't call it a sport, but I do. It's like soccer and football combined, it's exhausting." He attends Knoxville Chinese Christian Church, where he built flower beds for his Eagle Scout project.

Megan McGarel Morristown Hamblen High School, West, GPA 4.45, Girls' State Delegate, AP Scholar with Distinction, French Club President College: Notre Dame, majoring in biology. Career goals: "I don't know. I can't decide on one thing I love more than anything else!" For fun: "I love to read. Recently I started doing cross fit, at a gym. I volunteer at a local nursing home. I go every week and I pass out mail, I visit with new residents, help with some of the activities like bingo, bowling, that kind of stuff. I just kind of talk to them and get to know them a little bit."

Peter Nagy Farragut High School, GPA 4.58, AP Scholar with Distinction, TN Math Teachers Association 4th place award for pre-calculus, National Merit Scholarship, $2,500 College: Duke University, pre-med or economics. Career goals: "I'm thinking about becoming a doctor, or do something in economics, and I really like history. My parents are doctors so I've gotten the inside stories, and I just really like it." For fun: "I like to play tennis and hang out with friends."

Patton Robinette Maryville High School, GPA 4.56, Scored 36 on the ACT, TN Football Player of the Year, Elite 11 Quarterback, AP Scholar with Distinction. College: Vanderbilt University on a full football scholarship, majoring in pre-med. He started in January, and has already completed his first semester. Career goals: "After my football career ends, possibly a pediatrician or orthopedic surgeon." For fun: Football. "Well that's about it, it takes up most of my free time. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, too."

Knoxville News Sentinel

Josh Smith Bearden High School, GPA 4.15, Scored 36 on ACT, AP Scholar, National Merit Commended, Co-captain of Bearden High School Rugby Team, Tennessee Scholar College: University of Alabama, undecided engineering major. He was awarded the Presidential Scholarship, which is full-tuition and several other smaller awards that total $130,000 over four years. Career goals: Something in the math and science field. For fun: "I like to go hiking, I like to go swimming. I like to go cliff-jumping, boating, fishing, anything outdoors."

Gabriel Sneed Maryville High school, GPA 4.59, Scored 36 on ACT, awarded $25,000 Lamar Alexander Scholarship from Maryville City Schools Foundation, $2,500 National Merit Scholarship, NCTE Writing Award, Finalist in the TN School Board Scholarship Competition, TN Math Teachers Competition, placed in top three for five years. Sewanee Book Award for achievement in writing. Science bowl team, varsity swim team captain and went to TN state meet. College: Duke, undecided major and career plans. For fun: "I read a lot! I really enjoy swimming, so that's a hobby as much as a commitment. I'll probably swim club (at Duke) or at least for myself."

Madison Stott Bearden High School, GPA 4.41, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Honor Society, Governor's School for Science and Engineering, performed biomedical research at UT Medical Center College: Vanderbilt University, HOPE with merit scholarship. Career goals: Definitely engineering, maybe chemical engineering. For fun: Recreational soccer, listening to music. "I am a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church. This summer we're going on a mission trip with to Marion Va., a construction program to build stuff for people in need."